The Minnesota Timberwolves have completed a shocking trade for All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball. Mere hours removed from the 2026 NBA Draft, the Timberwolves traded fan favorite Naz Reid and a surplus of future picks for one of the most polarizing players in the Association.
In the process, Minnesota officially ushered in a new era with a statement that they will be transitioning from an interior-oriented approach to a perimeter-based attack.
The Timberwolves have blown up their dominant interior in a matter of days. That process began when Minnesota traded Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets in a deal that seemed to be a cost-cutting measure in anticipation of a bigger move.
The other shoe dropped when it was revealed that the Timberwolves would be trading their other power forward, Reid, for Ball.
BREAKING: The Charlotte Hornets are trading star guard LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps (2028, 2029, 2030) and three second-round picks (2029, 2032, 2033), sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/lkhXBWHCrA
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 25, 2026
Unless there's another trade or signing that will prove otherwise, the Timberwolves will all but have to shift to playing through their perimeter players rather than their bigs.
Timberwolves blow up their interior, shift to perimeter-oriented attack
Minnesota still has a future Hall of Famer at center in four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. Randle and Reid, however, were offensive specialists who could create scoring opportunities. Losing them without a fellow star-caliber replacement undoubtedly changes the way Minnesota will be playing.
With All-NBA shooting guard Anthony Edwards now working alongside an All-Star point guard in Ball, there's certainly much to be excited about.
Edwards finished the 2025-26 regular season with averages of 28.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.8 blocks, and 3.4 three-point field goals made per game. He did so with elite efficiency, converting at a clip of .489/.399/.796.
Edwards has long needed a point guard who can take playmaking pressure off of him, however, as well as a guard who can act as a reliable source of individual shot creation.
LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards create a star-studded backcourt
Ball certainly has the talent to check those boxes. This past season, he led Charlotte to an improbable mid-season turnaround with averages of 20.1 points, 7.1 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 3.8 three-point field goals made on .407/.368/.899 shooting.
A fearless scorer and playmaker who takes chances that most wouldn't even dream of attempting, Ball will change the dynamic of Minnesota's offense.
Edwards should be able to play more without the ball in his hands, even receiving additional catch-and-shoot opportunities with Ball as the facilitator. The question is simple: Will Ball make the necessary improvements as a decision maker to turn high-octane offense into highly efficient offense?
It's certainly a gamble, but the Timberwolves have officially abandoned their interior-based attack with a perimeter-oriented star duo in Ball and Edwards.
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